The current session of the Canadian Parliament is currently debating legislation aiming to eliminate the long-gun registry system that has been maintained for many years, a move sponsored largely by the conservative party led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Since the conservatives mustered a majority government on May 3, 2011, initiatives to remove the registry and cater to the gun lobby have been anticipated. Some Canadians feel this is simply another step toward fulfilling...
Dear Editor, Cheers for Roy Greenslade’s superb job in covering the recent mergers of major Canadian newspaper corporations in “Big Deals for Canadian Newspaper Publishers.” By acquiring the failing Victoria Times Colonist, two daily newspapers, and twenty publications within the Potsdam Network, Glacier Media and Torstar Corp will hopefully ensure the continuation of news coverage for a broad spectrum of readers with varying political perspectives. In the age of Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and the like,...
Protests over the United States’ potential endorsement of the Keystone XL Oil Pipeline have increased, springing the issue into national awareness. While environmentalists argue the dangerous consequences of destructive mining tactics, possible spills and accidents, and the invasiveness of a cross-country crude oil pipeline, pragmatists argue the pipeline’s economic and diplomatic advantages. The issue has now become mired in a swamp of politics, where the consequences of either support or rejection of the pipeline...
Critics claim that Canada’s residential schools were part of a cultural raid designed to replace aboriginal culture and heritage with European values Many of these schools have a severe negative impact on native people who suffered rampant sexual and physical abuse Background In 2008, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s apology to former students of residential schools was a momentous step in repairing a tragic blemish in the relationship between aboriginals and the Canadian authorities....
Canada’s mining industry is the largest in the world, with a sizable presence in the developing world. In Latin America, Canadian mining companies are often involved in environmentally destructive and socially irresponsible practices. One Canadian mining company, Pacific Rim, is accused of killing activists opposed to its ongoing mining activities in El Salvador. To date, the Canadian government has not taken measures to hold its mining industry to human rights and environmental standards abroad....
